Delivered in 1917 from Erik Lindstøls Båtbyggeri, Risør as catcher Foca I to Andr. Ingebrigtsen, Høvik near Oslo (fishery No. K-13-K). Wooden hull, steam engine. Sold in March-1921 to Sir Ernest Shackleton, Cowes, U.K., renamed Quest. (Shackleton died when he was on his way to the Antarctic with this ship - see also the external links at the end of this page). Sold in 1923 to W. G. Oliffe, Cowes. Sold in March-1924 to Schjelderups Sælfangstrederi A/S (Thomas Schjelderup), Skånland / Bø (N-94-BN). In use as seal catcher in the Arctic, and probably as fishing vessel in between seasons. Sold in Jan.-1939 to Skips-A/S Quest (Ivar Austad, Tromsø) - fishery No. T-24-T. A 4cyl 2tev Wichmann 350bhp motor was installed (seal catcher in the Arctic, probably in regular fishing in between seasons).

Related item on this website:A posting to my Ship Forum by Atle Wilmar. Much of the information below was taken from this posting.

When war broke out in Norway on Apr. 9-1940 she was catching for seal near New Foundland; came under Nortraship control. Upon hearing of the invasion she proceeded to St. John's - see also the archive document above.

On hire to The Royal Navy from Nov.-1940 and in use as minesweeper in the West Indies / Caribbean. Returned to Nortraship in July-1941.

The archive document also shows a few 1941 voyages (it looks as though she spent a long time in Bermuda that year, unless some movements are missing from the record. She also appears to have had a long stay at Halifax).

She was scheduled for Convoy SC 76 from Halifax on March 24-1942, but did not sail (the archive document indicates she left Halifax for Lunenburg on March 28). She was also cancelled from SC 79 and SC 82 the following month, but eventually got away in SC 83 on May 7, bound for Glasgow with rubber - follow the links for more on these convoys; several Norwegian ships took part (Acanthus, Eglantine, Potentilla and Rose are named among the escorts for SC 83). Quest arrived Clyde on May 22. She had been requisitioned by Den Konglige Norske Marine (Royal Norwegian Navy) in Apr.-1942, and was intended for use in Operation "Fritham 2" at Spitsbergen, Svalbard in May (the re-occupation of Svalbard - see D/S Isbjørn), but this did not come to pass.

She subsequently appears in Convoy WN 292, which left Loch Ewe on June 5-1942 and arrived Methil on the 7th; Quest, however, arrived Aberdeen the day before - ref. external link at the end of this page; Atle Jarl, Fido, Galtesund and Hestmanden are also listed.

Quest was returned to Nortraship on Sept. 1-1942.

Together with the Norwegian fishing vessel Grønland, as well as Jan, Sneland I and Tore Jarl, she's included among the ships in Convoy RU 58, departing Reykjavik on Jan. 19-1943, but she returned to port the next day, later joining Convoy RU 59, which left Reykjavik on Jan. 26 and arrived Loch Ewe Febr. 1; according to the archive document, Quest arrived Scrabster that day (the Norwegian Kongshavn is also listed in this convoy - ref. links below).

She was on hire to The Royal Navy as water vessel from June 21-1943.

More information on all the other Norwegian ships named here is available via the alphabet index at the end of this page, or go to the Master Ship Index.

POST WAR:

Laid up on Oct. 10-1945. Returned to owner on July 19-1946. Sprang a leak and sank due to ice on May 5-1962 while catching seal off the north coast of Labrador. Crew saved by Norwegian seal catchers Norvarg, Polarfart, Polarsirkel and Kvitfjell.

The text on this page was compiled with the help of: Misc. sources, including info received from T. Eriksen, Norway - His sources: Article by Thor B. Melhus in the Norwegian magazine "Skipet", and a posting to my Ship Forum by Atle Wilmar.